This invention relates generally to apparatus for connecting article carries to a trailer hitch ball or the like. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, this invention relates to an article carrier including a tubular member sized to receive the hitch ball and means for releasably connecting the tubular member to the hitch ball.
Over the past several years it has become extremely desirable if not necessary, to be able to carry one or more bicycles, light motorcycles, wheel chairs, etc. on the exterior of a vehicle. Such carriers have included various types of structure for connecting the carrier to the trunk roof, and/or to the bumper of the vehicle. Other carriers have been connected to trailer hitches which extend ordinarily from the back of the vehicle underneath the rear bumper.
One example of such a carrier is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,461,410 issued July 24, 1984 to Paul Tartaglia. In this patent, the article carrier or bicycle rack is mounted on the draw bar of the trailer hitch by removing the ball and inserting a stud through the trailer hitch ball hole. Prevention of rotation of the carrier relative to the hitch and support is accomplished by means of a pair of bolts located on opposite sides of the trailer hitch draw bar.
A second article carrier is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,414 issued June 30, 1987 to Orlando Deguevara. In this patent, the article carrier is bolted to the end of a unique draw bar which is inserted in a receiver that is mounted on the vehicle. Rotation of the carrier cannot occur due to the structure of the receiver type hitch.
While each of these carriers work satisfactory, it is necessary in the case of the carrier described in the '410 patent to remove the trailer hitch ball completely from the trailer hitch before the article carrier can be mounted thereon Removing the ball is, of course, extremely inconvenient In the carrier described in the '414 patent, it is necessary to have the article carrier connected to a unique removable draw bar which is expensive and somewhat inconvenient. Additionally, the carrier shown in the '414 patent cannot be used with hitches wherein the draw bar itself is mounted on the vehicle. For the most part, the receiver type hitches are not nearly as common as the standard draw bar type hitch wherein the draw bar is permanently mounted on the vehicle.
An object of this invention is to provide apparatus for connecting article carriers to a trailer hitch ball without the necessity for removing the ball and without the necessity for having the vehicle equipped with a receiver type hitch.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for connecting an article carrier to a trailer hitch ball quickly and easily and that can be constructed relatively inexpensively.